Rid maize market of cartels

There is, finally, some good news for maize farmers in the North Rift: The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) will tomorrow begin buying the crop from them at the improved price of Sh2,500 per 90kg bag.

This follows President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to add Sh200 to the Sh2,300 that had been approved by the Cabinet. In this gesture, a belated New Year’s gift to the farmers, the President has shown that he, indeed, cares about their plight.

It is impossible to talk about maize without mentioning the cartels that have, over the years, thrived on farmers’ misery. It was, of course, worse last year, when these unscrupulous people imported cheap maize from neighbouring countries and flooded the depots, leaving genuine farmers stuck with their produce. It is quite encouraging, therefore, to hear that NCPB officials at the national and county levels will this time strictly vet the sellers.

A two-day ultimatum by the farmers, who are threatening to stage demonstrations, arises from the frustration due to their inability to sell their grain. Farming is a demanding business, with the high costs of labour and inputs, including fertilisers. As the cartels profiteer, the farmers feel punished for doing their job so well and turning in a surplus. And their inability to sell it and get a return on their investment is tantamount to punishing success. The farmers have so far delivered a bumper harvest of 46 million bags, up from 41 million bags, and it’s up to the authorities to find the money to buy it all.

Though welcoming the President’s price increase, the farmers have been grumbling that it’s a drop in the ocean. But they should welcome the assurance that the crooks will be locked out this time and a producer price review should come at an opportune time.